Electric switch.



F. D. CLAPPER.

ELECIRICSWIICH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.2B.1916.

2 SHFETS-SHEET I.

, myg mon [WITNESSES (IE/59%- BY Patented May 7,1918.

F. D. CLAPPER.

ELECTRIC 'SW|TCH. APPLICATION FILED FEB- 21.1916.

- Patented Mdy7,1918.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ATTORN EY men) STATES ra'rnnr anion.

FRANK ID. CLAPPER, 0F ALTUS, OKLAHOMA.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern:

fBe it known that I, FRANK D. CLAPPER, a citizen of the United States,v residinoat Altus,'in the county, of Jackson ai1dtate of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, 01'' which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to electrical switches and has particular reference to new and usecollectively, means being provided on the switch for indicating when the circuits are open or closed. I I

, With the above and other objects in view my invention resides preferably in the construction, combination and arran ement of parts as set forth, here and her-ea ter in'the specification and illustrated in-the" accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1. is a plan view of my improved switch, showing'the work'circuits diagrammatically;

showing the'circui'ts diagrammatically;

Fig. 3. is a transverse sectional view taken onthe line 3-3 of Fig'l l loolring in the rection of thearrow; I I

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional "view taken on the line 4+4 of Fig. 'Llooking in the direction of the arrows; V Fig. 5" is a fragmentary, enlarged perspective view of one of the contacting heads 7 employed in my invention.

Similar reference I characters designate corresponding parts throughout the various views of the drawings. 7

In the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated I provide a casing'indicated in its entirety specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 2. is a side elevation of (the same,

i I Patented May a, 1918.

Application filed February 21, 1916. Serial No. 79,677.

My invention embodies particularly two or more circuit closing elements and correspending terminals for engagement thereby to close a plurality of circuits. This structure preferably includes a supporting bracket 8 mounted on the base 2 andhaving a binding post 9 or like connecting means associated therewith, for-maintaining said bracket in position and to serve as connecting means for one conductor 10 carrying current from one side of a source of electrical energy, such as battery or the like 11. The bracket 8 is provided with an aperture 12 adjacent the upper extremity and axially thereof. The circuit closin members of my invention'include'prefera ly a plurality of members, in thepresentinstance, twoin number, having tubular bearing portions 13 and 14 arranged in telescopic relationand -jindependently rotatable, the inner of the tubular bodies having a bearing shaft 15 extending from e rear end thereof and journaled in the opening 12. The opposite extremities of the, tubular members 13 and 14 are supported by means of an insulatin bearing sleeve 16 mounted in an opening 1 formed in thewall 6 of the housing 1. The

sleeve 16, preferably extends practically throughout the length ofthe outer tubular member let-in order to prevent accidental contact therewith. her 14 is preferably shorter than the tubular member 13, and an insulating manipulatingca 18 is carried thereby, a similar cap 19 being mounted on the tubular member 13. It is of course to be understood that the caps are rigidly carried by the tubular members The outer tubular mem- 13 and 14. The tubular members 13 and 14 I are provided on their inner extremities with -'f enlargements or contact heads 20 and'21 respectively,a plurality of circuit closing pins 22 and 23 radially extending from said heads. As shown to advantage in Fig. 5 in the present arrangement of the device the radially extending pins are four in num binding posts.

relative the pins first mentioned. The head 21, is formed similarly to the head 20 and has a corresponding number of circuit closing pins arranged in a similar manner. Between the heads 20 and 21 is disposed a spacing washer 24 to maintain the tubular members in fixed relation. A washer 25 is also disposed between the bracket 8 and thehead 20, said washer coacting with the sleeve 16 to maintain the heads against'longitudinal movement.

I provide a plurality of circuit terminals arranged in sets, in the present instance there being a set of 3 for the coaction with the head 20 and designated A. and a second I set B for coaction with head 21. The set A includes in the present instance three binding posts designated 26, 27 and 28. The set B includes a similar number of binding posts 29, 30 and 31. The binding posts mentioned are mounted so that the inner extremities thereof project adjacent the path of travel of the pins 22 when the heads are rotated for closing and opening circuits in a manner hereinafter set'forth. In order to provide yieldably connecting means for eachof the binding posts mentioned I provide spring members 32 rigidly mountedat 33 on the insulating material 7 having their free extremities positioned adjacent to and between the contacting pins 22 and 23 and the Each of the spring members 82 is identical in construction, there being one provided for each of the binding posts. In this way the binding posts do not come indirect contact with the pins 22 and 23 but a yieldable connection is afforded by virtue of the inter-posing of the spring members between the binding posts and said pins.

Each of the binding posts are connected to one conductor on each of a plurality of external circuits designated in Fig. l, a, b, c. d, e, and f. -In the present'instance incandescent lamps are shown in the work circuits, the return wire of each of the circuits mentioned being connected to a common return conductor 34.

A plurality of members or letters may be placed on the caps 18 and 19 whereby to indicate in a given position what lamps are lighted so that a person desiring to connect lamps of several circuits simultaneously may do so-withoutthe lamps being visible.

In operation assuming that it is desired to light the lamps in the circuits 1), c, and f, the head 21 is rotated by means of the cap 18 until the pins which extend from diametrically opposite points on said head' come in contact with the binding posts 29 and 31 at which time the circuits b and 7' will be energized, thereby lighting the lam s in said circuits. At this time the pins 0 the set 23 carried by the head 21 which extend at 90 relative the diametrically extending pins the pins 22 of the head 20 are in a neutral position, none of the circuits controlled thereby being energized. I l/Vhen it is desired to energize any one of the work circuits (1, b, e, (Z, 6 or 7' that pin of the sets 22 and 23 which extends at a 45 angle relative the re-- maining pins of a set is brought into contact with any one of the'binding posts of the sets a and Z), in this manner closing the circuitwith which the pin contacts. In this position none of the remaining pins of a given set will be incontactwith any of the binding posts. therefore maintaining all of the work circuits deenergizedwit-h the exception of the one which it is desired to energize. It will be-seenthat by providing a multiplicity of heads 20 and 21 and corresponding sets of binding posts a number of circuits may be controlled. It will be noted that by the provision of the spring-members 32 a quick break of the circuit controlled is assured,

thereby eliminating arcing at the contact points.

From the above description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings 1t is thought that a clear and comprehensive understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of my invention may be readily gathered, and while I have shown and described the same as embodying a specific structure I desire that itbe understood that I may make such changes therein which do not depart from the spirit and sctipe of the invention as claimed.

aving thus'described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A switch including a casing having a dielectric lining, a plurality of circuit terminals mounted upon the bottom and sides of the casing, a dielectric supporting sleeve,

carried by an end wall of the casing, a pair of sleeves concentrically mounted in the dielectric sleeve, each of said last.- mentioned sleeves having an enlargedhead the heads being spaced apart from one another, a supportin shaft in the inner one of the sleeves,

a' Mac et support for the end of the shaft,

said bracket forming one terminal of an external circuit, turning heads on the ends of the last mentioned sleeve, insulating Washers between the heads and the bracket support, and a plurality of contact pins on each X of the heads at irregular intervals apart,-

certain pins being adapted to engage certain circuit terminals, depending on the positions ofvsaid heads, thus closing selected external circuits ending at the circuit terminals.

Iii testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK D. CLAPBER. Witnesses: 1

S. E. HUKMAN,

EUGENE POWELL. 

